Capitol Dome Tour

I recently took a Capitol Dome Tour. My supervisor spent forever trying to organize the outing but it was so worth the wait. It was an amazing experience.

I thought I was going to die, climbing up (and down) all those steep, narrow steps. But I made it without injury. It was so fascinating to learn that the current dome was built over the original dome and that we were able to walk between the two on our way up to the observation levels. I’m slightly afraid of heights, so the view down was a bit unsettling. The little dots are people on tours. So far up--- 152 feet!

I don’t know how Constantino Brumidi and later artists did it. Climbing those stairs everyday and standing on a wooden platform in order to create the frieze. What an ability to establish proportion and shading that looks amazing from a few feet away and even more realistic and vivid from afar.

The view from the top was spectacular. It was a beautiful, breezy day. We all took lots of pictures and marveled at the view and Lafayette’s plan for the city. I enjoyed the bird’s eye view of the Senate’s private tennis court and hearing about the Supreme Court’s basketball court (top floor). I could have stayed up there forever.

What a great tour. I learned so much and gained an even deeper appreciation for the beauty and historicalness (is that a word?) of the buildings that I pass by and work under every day.